Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is the largest freshwater lake in Western Europe. It is 73km long, but only 14km wide at its broadest point. It plunges to a depth of 310m.

The lake has had various names over the centuries. The Romans called it Lacus Lemanus. In the Middle Ages it was known as the Lac de Lausanne, reflecting that city's importance. Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries its title was changed to the Lac de Genève, although a few maps stubbornly named it the Lac d'Ouchy. These days it's reverted to its Roman name of Léman, despite still being called Lake Geneva in English, and Genfersee, a direct translation, in German.

Lake Geneva, showing the locations of dinghies and dinghy-friendly regattas .